Iowans sue corn plant over pollution

When many people think “Iowa,” they also think “corn,” and for good reason—the state produces a hefty percentage of the nation’s corn supply. But some Iowans are getting fed up with this foodstuff, claiming that a local corn plant’s pollution is damaging people’s homes, cars and property.

The Grain Processing Corp. (GPC) plant in Muscatine, Iowa, makes several types of corn products, including alcohol, cornstarch and corn oil. The lawsuit, which 11 residents filed on Monday, alleges that the plant is also producing soot, and too much of it at that. The plaintiffs allege that the soot frequently blankets houses and cars across the city.

"Muscatine residents not only have to frequently clean their personal and real property to remove this particulate matter, but also breathe these pollutants into their lungs on a daily basis," the suit reads.

This is not the first sign of trouble for GPC—the Environmental Protection Agency served the company with a notice of violation in March, saying the discharges from its smokestacks were regularly too thick.